Trouble Losing Weight?

Are you trying all you know to lose weight without results?

This can be a frustratingly common experience for women and may be caused by a number of imbalances in the body.  Here are the top 5 imbalances I see in clinic which prevent weight loss -

UNDER-ACTIVE THYROID

Yes you could have an under-active thyroid even if your blood tests are 'fine'.  We can test your 3 thyroid hormones and make sure your levels are optimal - not just within range.  Due to Medicare restrictions, GP's normally only test 1 thyroid hormone (TSH), but this alone can't give you a clear picture of thyroid function.  Checking your T4 and T3 will show if you are producing and converting enough thyroid hormones to support healthy metabolism.  Other symptoms of an under-active thyroid include fatigue, brain fog, low mood, constipation, hair loss and dry skin.

HIGH CORTISOL

When you are in an ongoing state of stress, as many women are, you produce more cortisol.  Some cortisol is a good thing, but constant cortisol day after day impairs your metabolism, as your body wants to conserve body stores to deal with the perceived threat.  Cortisol can contribute to more weight around the middle.  Helping to calm your nervous system and reduce cortisol is one of the most important things you can do for your weight and overall health, as excess cortisol has damaging effects all over your body, and can particularly impact other hormone levels.  Ensuring quality sleep is super important for giving your nervous system a chance to rest and recover each day, along with working on other daily stress management - gentle to moderate exercise, spending time in nature, meditation, music or anything that helps you feel calm.

PROGESTERONE AND ESTROGEN IMBALANCE

This imbalance can develop over time from multiple factors including the pill, stress, chemicals and a low fat diet.  Increased weight on the upper arms, chest, hips and thighs is more common with this imbalance.  Many other symptoms can indicate this type of imbalance such as painful or heavy periods, irregular periods, infertility, fibroids, fluid retention, anxiety and moodiness.  A saliva hormone test is a great way to assess your levels and work on restoring balance.

NOT ENOUGH CALORIES OR AN IMBALANCED DIET

A low calorie or low fat diet will encourage your body to hold onto weight as it perceives a shortage of food and nourishment.  Consuming enough protein and healthy fats will keep your blood sugar and energy more stable, keep you full for longer, support hormone production and support weight regulation.  

Too many refined grains and sugars in the diet will contribute to increased insulin - another hormone which can impact weight regulation.  

Focus on 2-3 serves of protein, quality fats and a variety of vegetables as the main components of your diet.  Moderate amounts of whole grains can be beneficial - take notice of how these make you feel to work out the amount that's right for you.  However we don't need 9-11 serves as some dietary guidelines suggest!  

I encourage you to not count calories - just focus on eating whole foods and count nutrients if anything!

POOR GUT HEALTH, LIVER TOXICITY AND INFLAMMATION

Our gut bacteria play a huge role in our health including weight regulation.  We are actually around 10 times more bacteria than human cells and the essential role they play in our health continues to be discovered.  Our bacteria balance is impacted every day from antibiotics, reflux medication, pain medication, processed foods, sugar, alcohol, stress and chemicals including chlorine in tap water.  Probiotics and fermented vegetables can be a great way to support your gut bacteria - however if these cause issues you may have a bacterial overgrowth that needs to be treated first.

Similar influences that impact our bacteria balance can also impact our liver function and levels of inflammation in our body which can also inhibit weight loss.  Underlying inflammation is now being linked to many symptoms and disease states including depression, dementia, obesity, diabetes and auto-immune conditions.

For easy weight regulation our body needs to be in a happy balance - particularly our nervous system, digestion and hormones.  If weight loss is a struggle for you, I'd love to help you work out any underlying reasons and help you reach your ideal weight.

Marion McConnell is a degree qualified Naturopath who helps women with stress, hormone imbalances, anxiety and fatigue.  The clinic is located in New Farm Brisbane, and consultations are also available via Skype.  You can contact Marion here.

5 TIPS TO REDUCE SUGAR CRAVINGS

Do you find yourself reaching for the sweet stuff more and more?

This is a very common experience for many women and one that can be tricky to break free from due to the addictive quality of sugar!  

There are a number of reasons you may be experiencing sugar cravings such as nutritional deficiencies, hormonal imbalances, fatigue, stress or emotional issues.

There are also a number of reasons why you may want to limit sugar consumption including an increase in insulin resistance and risk of diabetes, ageing, weight, inflammation, triglycerides and blood pressure (an indicator of heart disease risk - which more women than men die from!).  

Sugar also reduces skin quality, sleep quality, energy and can cause an imbalance in other hormones, including ghrelin and leptin which regulate your appetite and satiety. 

While our bodies are designed to handle 1-2 pieces of fruit per day, they are not able to deal with a daily onslaught of added sugars! 

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Here are my 5 top tips to help reduce sugar cravings - 

1. Include adequate protein and fat at each meal - this helps to keep your energy and blood sugar levels more stable.  Focus on eating a variety of vegetables along with some protein and fat - free range eggs, grass fed animal products, butter/ghee, wild fish, avocado, olive oil, coconut products, nuts and seeds.

2. Have some low sugar snacks handy - tamari almonds, unsweetened yoghurt and berries, cheese and olives, hummus and veg sticks, apple slices with tahini or nut butter.  

3. Try some herbal tea - cinnamon is great for blood sugar and licorice gives a sweet taste to any herbal tea.  You could also try some kombucha or soda and lime. 

4. Take notice of any underlying reasons that are contributing to your sugar cravings - fatigue, stress, boredom, loneliness.  Sweet food can offer us a quick and easy fix to however we're feeling - but unfortunately this is only temporary and doesn't offer us any real solution.  Be kind to yourself as you become aware of any of these and work on changing your habits to ones that truly make you feel good - both now and in the future. 

5. Take a good quality Magnesium and B vitamin powder - these nutrients are important in regulating blood sugar and insulin, and are also great for energy production and stress.  Chromium and Gymnema are also great - a couple of drops of gymnema on the tongue will make anything sweet taste like cardboard!

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If you'd like to investigate any of these underlying issues, or would like some support in reducing your sugar addiction, I'd love to help you.  

Marion McConnell is a degree qualified Naturopath who helps women with stress, hormone imbalances and thyroid issues.  The clinic is located in New Farm Brisbane, and consultations are also available via Skype.  You can contact Marion here.

Top 5 Foods For Happy Hormones

Hormones play a huge role in women's health and are used in the body to send messages and instructions to different tissues and organs.  Some of our major hormones include

• Progesterone, Estrogens and Testosterone

• Thyroid Hormones

• Cortisol and Adrenaline

• Insulin, Ghrelin and Leptin

These hormones influence many aspects of our health including

• Menstruation

• Fertility

• Energy

• Moods

• Weight Regulation

Our bodies love to be in balance or homeostasis and our hormones are no different.  When a hormone imbalance develops over time, this can lead to symptoms and disease.

The top 5 foods to support happy and balanced hormones are -

QUALITY FATS - such as olive and coconut oil (cold pressed), olives, coconut products, avocados and butter from grass fed cows.  Hormones are made from cholesterol and other lipids (fats) - which is one huge reason why low fat diets are a terrible idea for women!  

Although we have been told fats are bad for us for decades, the right fats are essential for optimal health - on both the inside and out!  Adding fats to your food helps you to absorb certain vitamins and minerals, helps to keep you full for longer, provides energy and supports youthful skin.  Processed vegetable oils in plastic packaging are the damaging fats you will want to avoid.

QUALITY PROTEIN - eggs from true free range chickens, wild fish, grass fed meats and poultry, legumes/nuts/seeds (if tolerated - cooked/soaked for easier digestion).  Most of these proteins will also include some fats, and help to build hormones.

FOODS TO SUPPORT GUT HEALTH - include a variety of colourful vegetables (spray free when possible) which contain fibre, slippery elm powder, chia seeds, flaxseed meal, hemp seeds/meal, prebiotics such as artichoke, asparagus, onions/leeks and garlic, and fermented vegetables (if tolerated).  Your digestive system helps to bind and eliminate excess hormones and ensures optimal absorption of nutrients for hormone production and use. 

FOODS TO SUPPORT YOUR LIVER - cruciferous vegetables such as broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage, kale and brussels sprout.  These contain I-3-C (Indole 3 carbinol), a compound which helps to reduce excess estrogens and support hormone metabolism, for which the liver plays a large role.  Onions, garlic, rosemary and turmeric are also great for liver support.  

(Avoid eating a lot of raw cruciferous vegetables if you have an underactive thyroid).

SEAWEEDS - contain iodine and other minerals which are essential for hormones and tend to be lacking in many diets.  Seaweeds can easily be added to foods while cooking, or sprinkled on top or meals.

Two of the major foods to avoid or minimise are sugars and soy.  Some fermented organic soy products such as tempeh, miso and tamari are ok for most women, but too much soy in general can affect estrogen levels. Sugar increases your need for insulin, and constant intake will increase your risk of diabetes (and the many complications that come with that), increase weight and contribute to other hormonal imbalances.

Keep it simple by filling up on a variety of colourful vegetables (spray free when possible) and add enough fats and protein to keep you satisfied for a few hours.  This can differ between women and at different times in your life - so always take notice of how your body is feeling and what foods help you to feel your best.

If you have a significant hormone imbalance supplements can help to correct this, and then you can maintain hormone balance through diet and lifestyle. I would love to help you get your hormones back into balance so you can feel your best!

Marion McConnell is a degree qualified Naturopath who helps women with stress, hormone imbalances and thyroid issues.  The clinic is located in New Farm Brisbane, and consultations are also available via Skype.  You can contact Marion here.

Top 7 Causes Of Fatigue - Part 2

Top Causes Of Fatigue - Part 2

PROGESTERONE, ESTROGEN AND TESTOSTERONE

Many factors in our lives can impact our hormone levels including stress, chemicals, plastics, diet and medications.  Our hormones like to be in a happy balance so when this balance is disrupted we can experience a range of reproductive and other body symptoms including fatigue.

Low progesterone, high estrogen or low testosterone are the most common imbalances I see which contribute to fatigue.  We can assess your levels through a salivary hormone test which shows the levels of these hormones including the three types of estrogen.  Testing will help to ensure treatment is specific to your particular hormone imbalance which will result in quicker symptom improvement.

METHYLATION ISSUES

Methylation is a process which is involved in many essential areas of health including energy production, mental health and reproduction.  A genetic mutation can reduce your ability to activate and utilise folate, and thereby reduce the efficiency of this methylation cycle (by 30-70%!) and contribute to fatigue and many other health issues.  This gene mutation affects the enzyme MTHFR (for short!) and reports estimate 1 in 3 of us may have this defect.  This means taking certain forms of folate - such as folic acid in supplements and consuming foods fortified with folic acid are not a good idea for everyone!  

A simple salivary test can detect if you have a defect in the 2 most common and researched gene variants.  However even if the test comes back negative, you could still have impaired methylation due to other reasons.  This is why it is important to work with a qualified Naturopath or Nutritionist in this area, and utilise other blood tests to assess other markers of methylation efficiency.  There is more involved than just taking an activated folate supplement!

POOR BLOOD SUGAR CONTROL

If you rely on sugars and flour products (and caffeine!) for quick energy, or these make up the majority of your diet, it's likely you will have blood sugar regulation issues which will contribute to fatigue.  This will be experienced as short bursts of energy followed by energy slumps or crashes. This pattern usually continues in an unfortunate cycle - however you can make simple changes to stop it!

Eating adequate fat and protein at each meal will keep your energy more stable for longer and keep you full for longer, as there will be less of an impact on your blood sugar and insulin levels.  

Include good quality fats such as olive, macadamia, avocado and coconut oils, grass fed butter/ghee/eggs/meat, local wild fish, avocado and some nuts and seeds.  

Don't forget to include a variety of organic vegetables too - you can fill up on these instead of bread!

A guide to daily protein is 0.8g per kg of ideal body weight.  So 0.8 x 70kg = 56g of protein per day, spread over 2-3 meals.  Of course this is only a guide and recommendations can vary depending on your activity level, health issues or if you're pregnant or breastfeeding.

FOOD INTOLERANCES

Many women are intolerant to certain foods even if they don't have a diagnosed allergy.  The most common are

• Gluten in Wheat, Barley, Rye
• Casein and/or Lactose in Dairy
• Soy
• Eggs
• Peanuts or Tree Nuts
• Shellfish
• Corn

We can also be intolerant to natural plant chemicals in 'healthy' foods such as

• Oxalates (spinach, kale, nuts, soy)
• Histamines (fermented foods, aged cheese, wine, avocado)
• Salicylates (tomato, zucchini, blueberries, almonds)

Food intolerances may produce digestive symptoms or may present in other ways such as fatigue, headaches and irritability.

There are blood tests which test different panels of foods however it is not always completely accurate and will only pick up an intolerance if the tested foods have been consumed recently.  Working with your Naturopath and eliminating foods for certain periods of time can be another option to figure out the foods you feel best on.

Food intolerances can improve once gut health has been improved, so you may not have to avoid these foods forever.

If you would like to get to the bottom of your fatigue and improve your energy in 2018, book your consultation today! 

Marion McConnell is a degree qualified Naturopath who helps women with stress, hormone imbalances and thyroid issues.  The clinic is located in New Farm Brisbane, and consultations are also available via Skype.  You can contact Marion here.